The periodontium is largely connective tissue and collagen is its principal protein. Normal periodontium exhibits a high rate of collagen turnover. The turnover is further amplified during inflammation and wound-healing. Inflammation and healing are concerned with the restoration of damaged matrix and the effectiveness of repair processes depends on the orderly synthesis and deposition of collagen. The objective of the proposed studies is to eludicate regulatory controls of collagen synthesis and our long-term objectives involve possible manipulation of the regulatory processes to expedite healing. This proposal is concerned with the elucidation of the mechanism of post-transcriptional control reported earlier by us. In these investigations we will examine the possible involvement of translational suppressors, their nature, mode of interaction with collagen mRNA, and the nature of post-transcriptional stimulation by RNA-inhibitors. These studies will be carried out in model systems approximating the high collagen turnover-rates exhibited by periodontia, namely, embryonic cartilage and chondrocytes in culture and in gingival fibroblast cultures.